Rail anchor



atentecl pr. 8, 193

uNrrlzDl STATES PATENT LoUIs RADAR, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AssICNoa To CHICAGO RAILWAY EQUIPMENT CoMrANY, or CHICAGO, ILLINoIs, A CORPORATION oF ILLINoIs .l

Y,RAIL'ANCIICR i Application'meav February V1s, 4was. serial Nb. merita.4

' The invention' relates to rail anchors or anticreepers and seeks to provide an improved, inexpensive construction comprising a clip adapted to'be driven into gripping engagement with one of the rail-base flanges, and a vseparate spring member v vhich is strained when installed on the rail base and which serves to maintain the clip in'positlon upon the rail.

The invention consists in the foregoing and other features of improvement hereinafter set forth, is illustrated in its preferred form in the accompanying drawing, an-d is more particularlypointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figs. 1, 2and 3 are side, plan, and end views,respectively, of the preferred' form of the improved anchor.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section, and Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating modifications of the clip. Y .y

' The clip which is adapted to grip one of the rail base flanges is preferably formed of a piece of steel'plate, say about one-quarter of an inch thick, which is bent to a U-section so thatthe clip comprises spaced side portions lO connected by a bent edge portion 11. The side portions of the clip areprov'ided with notches or seats 12 which are adapted to snugly fit `the upper and lower faces of one of the flanges of the rail base and sothat the clip is adapted to be -driven into gripping engagement with vone of therail base flanges, as shown in the (drawing, with its side portions 10 substantially vertical and extending above and below `the base'13 of .A

the rail. Preferably, the notches'or'seats 12 are so shaped that the edges thereofdo-not Contact with the edge of the rail base, but do firmly fit and grip the upper and lower faces thereof. Y

The lower portions of the clipare arranged to engage a part of the sub-structureto prevent'creeping of the rail and preferably the side portions of the clip are flared outwardly and downwardly so that the lower tie-abut-l ting portions 14 thereof are spaced vertically som-e distance below thelower face: ofthe rail base, and are spaced longitudinallyin front and rearfof the other parts of the an- Chor.l "Thus, 'these portions engage the tie 15 some distance below its upper 'face and hold the anchor away from the tie plate 16. Preferably, as shown, the 'tie-abutting portions 14 are flat and vertical and have rounded edge portions to avoid cutting thetie.

Means for holdingthe clip in position on the rail base comprises a lspringloop 17V which is 'adapted to extend about` the base flange engagedb'y the clip, and` across-arm 18 having 'an offset 19 at its end which yis arranged to engage the other base' flange. Preferably, as shown the spring loop 17 land cross-army 18 are integrally formed of spring steel Iof round section which may bel about five-eighths 0f 'an inch or more in diameter.

The spring loop is provided with a downlturned end portion 20 whichis arranged to bearupon the upper face ofthe yrail base and also engage an abutment in the form :of a

spacing rivet 21 vwhich extends between the side portions l0 ofthe clip. The loop alsoextends loosely through openings 22 in theouter 'bent edge portion 1 1 of the clip and which o enings', when the anchor is in position on terail, are disposed above and below the level Vofthe rail base. The cross-arm'lS eX tends upwardly atan incline from the lower end of the spring loop and, as stated, it is provided 'at its end with an offset 19 which is arranged `to bear againstv the edge lof the opposite base flange.'y Preferably, as shown, the

v'offset 19 is provided withy a lip 23, which, when the anchor is in position on therail,

slightly overlaps the edge of the base flange.

In applying the anchor to the rail, both the clip andspring member are applied from one side ofthe rail an-d'forced as' far as possible Vby hand on` one oftheI rail base flanges, in' which condition,the offsetfend 19 of the spring member engages' the lower face of the rail -base." The outer portion of the spring loop 17 is Athen struck a sharp blow or blows A' with a hammer 'or like'V instrument until the.

clip and spring member are forced far enough on to the rail base to permit the offset end 19 of the member to clear andfsnap` into engagement with the edge-of the opposite base flange, as shown in fullline in F igroo ' also forces the clip into gripping engagement with the rail base flange. The manufactured shape of the spring member is indicated in l dot and dash lines in Fig. 1 and is such that,

when the anchor is installed on the rail'base,

ythe spring member is strained or distorted, the end portions 19,l and 20 being spread apart both vertically and horizontally. Thus, when the anchor is driven to position far enough to permit the offset end 19 to clear the rail base, it will snap into the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1.

Also, when in position on the rail base, the engagement of the ends 19 and 20 of the spring member with one edge of the rail base 'f and with the abutment 21 respectively, serves to laterally compress the spring loop 17. Because ofthe stresses thus developed in the spring member, the hooked end 19 of the cross-arm is forced both vertically and horizontally into engagement with the adjacent rail' base flange and the end portion 20 is Afirmly pressed againstr the abutment or rivet 21 andv so serves to prevent the loosening of the grip of the Hangs-engaging clip.

`The improved anchor is relatively light in weight -and inexpensive to manufacture; it can be readily applied to the rail and in its preferred form shown is adapted to cooperate withthe sub-structure of the track to prevent creeping of the rail in either direction. The abutment or rivet 21 andopenings 22 of the clip and the loop 17 ofthe spring member are so related that the spring member and clip are permanently connected; that is to say,they cannot be disengaged without removing the rivet when the anchor is not in position upon the rail.V u e The clip and spring member of the'anj chor are assembled at the factory'and shipped as a unit. The parts are assembled by passing the loop of the spring member through the slots 22 of the clip, and then the sides 10 Vof the Clip are connected by the rivet 21,

which, as stated, is so located as to limit the movement of the spring member and to prevent its disengagement from the clip.

In the modified form of the clip shown inFig. 4, the bent connecting portion 11 between the sides 10 of the clip is at its inner edges and the upper part of this connecting portion forms the abutment for the end 20 of the spring loop 17, while its lower part is provided with an opening 24 through which the cross-arm 18 loosely extends. In other respects, this modified form of clip is preferably similar to that shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. shouldered spacing rivets 25 connect the side portions'lO of this clip and are disposed above and below the flange-receiving notches 0r seats12. One of these rivets is located adjacent and within the upper portion of the loop 17 and the other adjacent and above the end of the cross-arm 18 and they serve to connect the clip and spring member when the anchor is not in use.

In the form shown in Fig. 5, the bent portion 11 of the clip is at its upper edge and the lower portions of the side members 10 are bent outwardly and downwardly to form tie-engaging abutments 14a. The spring member is similar to-that already described and is preferably interlocked with the. clip by the abutment or rivet 21a and additional spacing rivets 26.

Gha-ngesmay bemade in the preferred detailsl set forth without departure from the scope of' the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. A rail anchor comprising a clip for grippingone of the rail base flanges, a spring loop adapted to extend about the same base flange and be compressed on installation to hold the clip in position, and a retaining ar for the spring loop adapted to engage the opposite base flange.

2. A rail anchor comprising a clip for gripping one of the rail base flanges, a compressible spring loop adapted to extend about the same base flange and having an inwardly extending upper end arranged to engage and resiliently maintain the clip in position, and retaining means adaptedl to engage the edge of the opposite flange and hold the spring loop compressed.

3. A rail anchor comprising a clip adapted to be driven into gripping engagement with one of the rail base flanges, a compressible spring loop adapted to extend about the same .base flange and'havin'ga downturned end portion arrangedto bear upon the upper face of the flange and engage said clip, and retaining means arranged to engage the other base Viiange and hold the spring loop compressed.

,portion engaging saidA clip, the lower portion of said loop terminating in a cross bar. and the latter having an offset adapted on installation to snap into engagement with the opposite base flange.

5. A railA anchor comprising a clip for gripping one of the rail base flanges, a sub stantially C-shaped spring loop adapted to encircle the same base flange in spaced relation thereto and having a downturned upper end portion arranged to bea-r upon the upper face of theflange and abut against a` part of said clip toresiliently hold the same in position, the lower portion of said spring loop terminating in an integral upwardly inclined cross-bar, and the latter having a hooked end, adapted, on installation of the anchor,

to sna into engagement with the edge lof the other base flange.

6. A rail anchor comprising a spring loop having end portions adapted, on installation,

to be spread apart vertically, anda clip 7. A rail anchor comprising a clip and ay spring loop adapted to be driven onto one of the rail base flanges, with the clip gripping such flange and a downturned upper end portion of the loop bearing upon the upper face thereof and engaging saidv clip, the lower portion of said loop terminating in` an integral cross-bar, and the latter having an offset adapted to snap into engagement with the edge of the other base flange.

8. A rail anchor comprising a clip and a spring loop adapted to be driven onto one of the rail base flanges with the clip gripping y such flange, said loop having downwardly and upwardly faced end portions arranged to be spread apart on installation both vertically and transversely of the rail and bear upon the up er face of said flange and the lower Vface o the rail base respectively, and means engaging the edgeof the other base flange and cooperating with said loop to resiliently hold said clip in position.

9. A rail anchor comprising a clip for engaging one of the rail base flanges, and a separate spring member. permanently connected to said clip and adapted to snap into engagement with the edge of the other base flange for holding the same in position on the rail. Y C

10. A rail anchor'comprising a clip of U- section for gripping one of the rail base flanges with its side portions substantially vertical, and retaining means for the clip comprising a spring loop disposed between the side portions of the clip and permanently connected thereto, and a part connected to said spring loop and having means for engaging the other base flange. f

11. A rail anchor comprising a clip of U-section for gripping one ofthe rail base flanges with its side portions substantially vertical, and a retaining spring member hav'- ing a loop at one end arranged between the side portions of said clip and connected thereto and adapted to encircle and bear upon the upper face of the adjacent base flange, said spring member having means at its opposite end for engaging the other base flange.v

12. A rail anchor comprising a clip of U- section for. gripping one of the rail base flanges with its side portions substantially vertical and its bent connecting portion at its outer edge, andy a retaining spring mem-` ber having an upwardly projecting loop at one end disposed between the side portions of the clip and-extending through openings in the outer bent portion thereof, said loop having a'downturned end arranged to bear upon the upper face of the adjacent flange and the clip having an abutment extending between its side portions and engaged by said loop end, and said spring member hav- Y ing an offset at its opposite end arranged to snap into engagement withy the edge of the other base flange.

13. A rail anchor comprising a clip adapted to be driven into gripping engagement withone flange of the rail base, and a retaining spring member aranged to engage the clip and hookover the edge of the other base flange, said clip having a downwardly and forwardly projecting portion spaced below the rail base and arranged tohold the other part of the anchor spaced from the ad-l jacent cross tie.

' 14:. A rail anchor comprising a clip adapted to be driven into gripping engagement with one flange of the rail base, and a retaining spring member arranged to engage the clip andthe edge of the other-base flange, said clip having a U-sectionwith spaced substantially vertical sides the lower portions of which are spaced below the rail base and are offset forwardly and rearwardly respectively of the other parts of the anchor to form tieengaging abutments.

15. A rail anchor comprising a clip of U-section for gripping one of the rail base flanges with its side portions substantially iusv vertical, a retaining spring member having an offset at one end for engaging the other base flange and a loop at its opposite end disposed between the sideV portions of said clip,

arranged to extend about the adjacent rail` flange and having a downturned end portion arranged to bear upon the upper face of such flange, and said clip havingan abutment between its side portions against which the end of saidloop abuts.

16. A rail anchor comprising a clip ar-v ranged to grip oneof the rail base flanges and extend below the same to engage a part of the sub-structure, and a retaining spring member adapted to be strained on installation and having end portionsarranged to extend about the edges of and bear upon the opposite rail base flanges with one end portion engaging said clip.

LOUIS KADAR. 

